Comments Sought On Ft. Belknap Bighorn Transplant Proposal

Headlines

Friday, November 22, 1996

The Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission is now seeking public comment on a proposal to transplant at least 50 bighorn sheep to the Little Rocky Mountains on the Ft. Belknap Indian Reservation sometime in the near future. This cooperative program between FWP and the Tribes is proposed with the goal of establishing sound bighorn populations on the reservation and surrounding lands for the benefit of both tribal and public wildlife resources.

Glenn Erickson, management bureau chief for Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Wildlife Division in Helena, said the transplant is proposed to augment an existing bighorn herd of approximately 20 sheep in the Little Rockies with the goal of eventually establishing a viable herd of 125 sheep. When over 100 bighorns are in the population, Erickson explained, an opportunity for limited public hunting of sheep in the population would be made available. Sheep for the transplant operation would be obtained when they are available either from British Columbia or, preferably, expanding populations in Montana.

Comments on the proposal, which will be accepted through January 15, 1997, should be sent to the Wildlife Division, FWP, PO Box 200701, Helena MT 59620-0701. The Commission is scheduled to act on the proposal in February.